


Honey, there is no right way

by copenhagenborn



Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: Cheating, F/M, Harry and Taylor are married, Harry is the president, Liam is the chief of staff, Louis is a journalist, M/M, Mentions of miscarriage, Minor Character Death, Niall is a professional fixer, Scandal AU, Taylor is the first lady, but there's no real interaction between the two, none of the boys, slight homophobia, the same with Nadine and Harry
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-10-29
Updated: 2015-10-29
Packaged: 2018-04-28 19:49:35
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 18,749
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5103599
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/copenhagenborn/pseuds/copenhagenborn
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>"No hellos? I'll be quick then," Liam says as he looks up from his phone. "The President needs a favor," He's dressed in an impeccable gray suit, shoes polished and shiny as he stops in front of the blond with a kind smile.</p><p>Niall laughs courtly and looks away from the brown eyed man in front of him, "It's been three years Liam, I don't work for him anymore. Did either one of you forget that?"</p><p> <br/>in which Harry is the president who gets accused of cheating and Niall's the fixer who can help him, but things aren't always so straight forward.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Honey, there is no right way

**Author's Note:**

> The Scandal au no one really asked for but I thought was missing from the Narry fandom. 
> 
> Title is from Hozier's Someone New

"What?"

"No hellos? I'll be quick then," Liam says as he looks up from his phone. "The President needs a favor," He's dressed in an impeccable gray suit, shoes polished and shiny as he stops in front of the blond with a kind smile.

Niall laughs courtly and looks away from the brown eyed man in front of him, "It's been three years Liam, I don't work for him anymore. Did either one of you forget that?"

"You're here now, aren't you? Did _you_ forget you're no longer under the service of the President of the United States?" Liam quips back, his shoulders tensed in defense and eyes trained on the man in front of him.

There's a pregnant pause before Niall accepts the arm Liam offers him with a sigh. "What mess did the two of you get into now?"

It shouldn't be his job anymore, Niall reckons. He's done his fair share of work to make the man in the White House happy, done enough grunt work for two lifetimes that he really shouldn't be their first pick to ask for a favor.

"What makes you say it's a problem we need handled? Why can't it be an invitation to a gala?" Liam says in a soft voice as if he's trying to diffuse the tension, but Niall knows him - has known him his entire professional life since he left college with a degree and promises of jobs all around America.

"Because that's what I do Leem, fixing things isn't it?" Niall says with a sigh stopping their walk to turn to Liam head on. What he wouldn't give for all of this to be an elaborate invitation to the next big black tie event, "And besides, if there really _were_ a ball Taylor would have already sent me the invitation. Tell me please,"

"There's a girl, a helper of some sorts going around saying she's sleeping with him," Liam tells him, takes his arm once again and steers them down the pathway, "It's nothing big yet, he doesn't even know but we need it to blow over before it starts."

Niall doesn't know what to say; doesn't know whether to laugh at the notion that Harry would take a female mistress, or that Liam still keeps secrets from Harry. But he doesn't. Because even if he likes to believe so, he and Harry hasn't been close for three years, haven't been in the same room without at least Taylor, Liam or Louis present, so in reality he wouldn't know if this is the sort of thing Harry does now.  

"Is he?" Niall asks neutrally. He has to know the truth if he wants to help, doesn't matter if he wants to hear it or not.

"Ni,"

"Clinton, Lewinsky, Hunter and Edwards." He prompts quickly, taking his hand back and tucking in into his pocket, "Are you sure?"

"You know him, Niall, he's not that guy. Shut her down." There's no trace of the softness that's often associated with the chief of staff, none of that too nice to be involved with politics. Because this is why Harry chose Liam to run his campaign back when he ran for governor, why Harry's one of the most successful presidents the States has ever had.  

"I need to see him," Niall says firmly, already knowing what Liam's answer is going to be but as he sees it, there's really no other way.

"Niall, that's not plausible."

"You want me to shut him down, then I need to look him in the eye and know he's not lying." His words are final. He isn't trying to reprimand him for going against him or from questioning his requests, but more like there isn't a point in discussing something when he knows he's going to get his way.

"He's not! I'm telling you he's not lying," Liam says insisting. His eyes stern as he tries to stare Niall down, "The man doesn't have time to see you, please Niall."

" _He_  wants the favor, he wants my services and I do not work for him anymore. So you can tell the President that if he wants my help he'll just have to make time. He _is_ the President of the United States, is he not?"

He's turned around and gone before Liam can try and yell out his name, walking down the river with rapid steps.

 

Niall's tying the knot on his gray tie when Eoghan steps into the room.

"You going to camp David?" he asks, smiling softly as the blond pulls the longer end to make the tie look better.

"I won't be there for long," Niall replies absentminded as he walks around the Irish man to pick up his suit jacket and put it on.

"But you're going there to meet with the President, why?"

"The meeting in the White House is official, the press will be there," Niall explains when the judging edge of Eoghan's voice still hasn't left.

"He wants you to take your old job back, doesn't he?" Bressie smirks from his seat at his shared desk with Willie. He stops tapping the keys of his laptop to look up at the blond, "He's wooing you,"

"He's not _wooing_ me," Niall denies with a roll of his eye, he leans down to slap the back of Bressie's head as he takes his bag from the seat next to him. "We're friends, you know this."

"You and _I_ are friends Ni," Eoghan corrects him softly as he follows Niall to the elevator, "'friends with the leader of the free world' your entire life makes me feel unsuccessful."

"Oh hush, stay on the client please and if anything happens I'll be back soon," Niall tells him, taking Eoghan's hand and giving it a reassuring squeeze as he steps into the elevator.

Eoghan had been the first to join 'Niall Horan & Associates' back when the firm was started. After sharing a room during law school the two of them had gotten close and when Niall had contacted him about a future business venture after his departure from the White House, Eoghan had moved from his home town back in Ireland to DC.  

"Uh, do you think I should do it?" he whispers. They're alone in the room now, Bressie still in the office room typing out a letter to a former client. But Niall gets it, knows what it feels like to doubt yourself, when you don't know what it is that you really want.

But Niall's known Eoghan for a long time, known how much he loves Laura and all the things he would do for her. He also knows about Eoghan's past with a few too many girls and not enough relationships. The uncertainty that's eating him away whether he's doing what's right or not.

"Yes."

"Are we talking about the sam-" "Yes," "-e thing; asking her to marry me," Yes Eoghan."

"Because I was thinking that I might buy the ring today," the older man explains, his words too fast and stuttering to be certain.  

"Are you asking me to talk you into it or out of it?"

"Into it," he says quickly, "..out of it. No wait, into it - I need it to be into it."

"You're both in love, you _like_ her. Normal people get married." Niall tells him with slow words, tired of this conversation. "She's great bud, you're going to be happy, _she'll_  be happy."

"Yeah yeah, that's good." Eoghan nods frantically and follows Niall out to the elevator once again, "why aren't you married then?"

"I'm not normal." He says with a smile as he pushes the button for going down.

(+)

Niall pulls up to the security guard in his car. He rolls the window down and hands his identification over to the man, "Niall Horan."

The security guard looks over his card, gives him a few looks before handing it back with a "Sir," and lets him drive through.

"Hello, how are you? Where's the President?" Niall says cheery when he's lead into the office, Liam pacing the floors.

"That's better," Liam says with a tight smile. "He'll be here in a sec."

"He knows then?" Niall concludes from the way Liam's shoulders are taut and his hands tightly intertwined  behind his back, his eyes straying to his phone lying on the desk and the way the clock ticks away.

"Someone let it slip during the morning meeting," he nods, "I've been trying to keep Louis from writing about it, but nothing can really stop that man can it? It's going to get out one way or another unless we deal with it today."

"Taylor, does she knows about this?" Niall asks with a tight smile.

"it's not like that anymore," Liam denies with a shake of his head, "They're better, _closer_. A united front if anything."

Niall watches as Liam tries to elaborate on the subject when Taylor enters the room, perfectly styled in her tailored skirt and blouse set and tight bun at the top of her head, "Ni, I'm so glad you could make it." She greets sweetly as she pulls the blond into her thin arms. "You never call anymore."

"Taylor,"  Niall replies softly and wraps his arms around her, "Well you _are_ a little busy, aren't you?" he laughs. "How are Austin? Enjoying his second term in Pennsylvania?"

The pearls in her ears sparkle as she shakes her head to laugh. She tells about how her brother's been during good work in her home town, how her sister-in-law has gotten pregnant and is due in the spring, how Niall definitely should come down for a visit when he's not so busy saving the world.

And Niall almost wants to pull her back into his arms when she mentions her upcoming niece or nephew, how her eyes go sad before she schools her expression back into professional happiness. But then she's talking again, her hand resting on Niall's hip as if nothing is wrong.

"Are you dating anybody right now? I know you said you didn't wanna date from the White House, but the press secretary's assistant is just your type. I could make the introductions if you want."

"Taylor, I'm good. I don't have the time right now, and it's good." Niall assures her with a laugh, pulls away from her warm touches and looks toward the door where Harry walks in.

He looks good dressed in a pair of slacks and a woolen knit Henley, a cotton shirt underneath and his tight curls pushed away from his face. This is how Niall got to know him, not the polished man in the suits and shiny shoes, big speeches and important friends in every places. But the man in soft clothes and warm smiles, love emitting from his face when he catches Niall's eye and says, "Ni."

"Mister President," Niall smiles softly and goes across the room to meet the man in the middle.

"It's good to see you Niall,"  Harry beams and offers his hand for a shake.

 

They go outside in the woods, Taylor left behind indoors and only Liam and a pair of security guard following them as they step through the forest floor.

"I know you're busy Niall, I can't thank you enough for doing this for me." Harry says - his voice sad and shaken as if he couldn't believe why he is being put in a situation like this.

And Niall gets it because Harry wasn't made for being President. Harry ran for President based on the good old values, on the hope of making a difference to the world and not with the intention of becoming the world's most powerful man. He hadn't thought about the back lash or the rumors that would appear, about whether they were true or false, and how he should deal with them, which was why he had Liam, and Taylor to a certain degree - Louis on a good day.

"Her name is Nadine Leopold, 26, and there's rumors she's going to the press," Liam tells them from behind. He walks up and takes the spot in between the pair and hands Niall the manila folder they have about the girl.

Niall looks through it, takes note of the outstanding grades and the amazing remarks from professors and previous employers. She's cute, Niall notices, and exactly Harry's type. With sparkling blue eyes and shiny blonde hair, features soft and not too many sharp edges.

"There's no way of firing her?" Niall asks, eyes still in the file as they walk along the woods.

"Not without any problems, it could turn into a right nightmare." Liam reckons bitterly. "She hasn't gone to any papers yet, and I would like to stop her before she gets the possibility." 

"It's not fair, I didn't have sex with that girl." Harry says, his voice neutral. "This is going to make me look like dirty old cheater, and I'm.. not." He glances at Niall at his last words, letting them slip from his mouth without the same amount of confidence as he normally talks with.

"You know I have to ask," Niall tells him quietly as they stop in their steps, Liam slowing down so he stays behind them, before Niall turns to face the President.

"No, I wouldn't do that, no. You've known me for a long time." Harry reasons with a soft smile, "I didn't fall in love with some _girl_. You know there's only one I love."

It's the subtle way he puts his words that makes Niall's stomach swoop. How there's no way of Liam knowing what he's talking about, but at the same time telling Niall everything he needs to know, and then some. It leaves him breathless, lost for words.

"Harry and Taylor are happy now, Ni. There's no reason for them to cheat." Liam adds firmly - as if Harry needs anymore evidence after that confession of love.

Because Liam doesn't get the way Harry's eyes are trying to bore themselves into Niall's skull, to make sure he leaves him bare and open, defenseless.

Niall blinks. He looks away from Harry to meet Liam's eyes and nods once, "I'll handle it."

"You should come back with us to the White House, the three of us working together again." Harry begs him quietly, Liam turning away from the pair and following Mark back to the cabin. "We need you on our side, Ni - hopeless without you, the lot of us are."

"I like working on my side," Niall laughs, "But I never left your side." He reaches out and takes Harry's hand in his, gives it a squeeze before letting it drop down between the two of them.

(+)

Niall asks Willie, the newest associate of the firm to find everything he can on Nadine Leopold, gathering it all into one file before asking him to come with him.  

"What am I.." "You are my witness, don't say anything." Niall shushes him and buttons his suit jacket before following the blonde with the dog who's walking in front of them.

"What a lovely dog you have there," Niall coos as he bends down to pet the Cocker Spaniel sitting by Nadine's side. "I got one of my own at home, Walter."

"Oh, this is Roosevelt, don't mind him not wanting to be pet by strangers, he's feeling a bit Presidential." Nadine laughs softly and reaches down to fluff the brown ear of the dog. "Aren't you Roosevelt?"

Niall takes a deep breath and sits up on the bench beside her, "Nadine, you have to know there'll be consequences if you continue to spread lies about the President."  

"Ho-how do you know my name?"

"I am Niall Horan, I'm not here on official business I'm just here to warn you about what _could_ happen; you will be stuck in unemployment, your face all over the media, the sex scandal always associated with your name, and every little bit of information about you suddenly becomes public knowledge. For example, you've had 27 sexual partners that we've been able to find out, and there's that horrible time with Chlamydia - given to you by... let me see, James right?  - about your family, your dad's addiction to pain medication and that 'vacation' he had last year before returning to the clinic, I'm sure that not something you want to share with the entire world. Because that's what's going to happen if you keep this up Nadine."

There's tears in the corner of her eyes and snot drooping from her nose when she turns from the dog to Niall, "He told me he loved me and, and he gave me this dog."

"That's the lies that could hurt you if you told them to people who aren't as kind as me." Niall tell her sternly. "Pack up your things, your dog, hand in your resignation and be done with this city. Find a small town and a boring boy where your presence won't raise an eyebrow, because you're done here."

Nadine gathers up Roosevelt, clutching his lead as she stands up from the bench and walk away briskly.

"I'm guessing that if anybody asks, you were working alone right?" Willie asks a beat later when Nadine is out of sight.

"Good boy."

He pulls out his phone and presses number three on speed dial, "It's handled."

 

But it doesn't stay handled for very long.

He's working on another client when Willie comes into his office and closes the door behind him.

"I think she might be telling the truth," he says and drops down in the chair. "The others think I'm crazy for telling you this - giving your weird history with the President and all that - but she has some details that would fit with having an affair with the big guy."

Niall wonders why they hired Willie, because despite his glowing recommendations and being the in the 1% of his law class, what did they really know about the guy?

"You shouldn't be talking to her William, she's not our client." Niall sighs and stands to lead him out of the room, but the man stays in his place.

"Well, neither is the President is he? Not as much a firm client as yours personally." Willie muses. His voice is neutral as he tilt his head to an odd angle. "How do you know she's not telling the truth? She keeps talking about this secret room off of the Oval office where they've met for their rendezvous. I've read about that room, it really does exist." The boy insists. His eyes are eager like a puppy who's only been told no once in his life, who hasn't yet adjusted himself to the way of dealing with rejection and let downs. And Niall hates to be the one to ruin that, to take away his optimism and enthusiasm before it's due.

But he knows the President, knows he wouldn't do this to Taylor - to him.

"If you've read it then so could she. People are fixated on famous people, it doesn't take much to find out these things," Niall tells him gently.

"She's not crazy." Willie sighs. "She kept saying something about how if she was allowed to talk with him they would figure this out, how he would never let his 'sweet love' go through this if there was something he could do about it."

And that when Niall stops. "What did you just say?"

"That he wouldn't let her go through it if he could prevent it?"

"And what would he call her?" Niall asks slowly, trying to get as much control over his breathing as he can.

"'Sweet love' his mum's British or something," Willie explains, "I think I've heard Eoghan use something similar to his girlfriend."

That's what he used to call Niall, what Niall's heard Anne call Robin a thousand times because that's how she shows him he's the one she wants to be with. And Niall believed it, because all Taylor ever was to him was 'sweetheart' or 'dear', 'darling' if the press is close, but never 'love'. Because that was Niall's, ever since that weekend back in his childhood home in Oregon where Niall met his parents. 

He drops down into his chair, looking anywhere but into Willie's questioning eyes from his sudden silence. "Ring her up," he says slowly, spinning the chair around until he sat properly behind the desk. "Tell her she's our newest client."

 

Niall's sitting on his couch with a glass of red wine when he hears his door open.

"What are you doing here Liam?" Niall asks courtly but doesn't turn away from the program in front of him.

"You know why Niall." Liam sighs and sits down on the seat next to him. "I should be home you know. Remember Louis? My husband Louis who has been begging me for a child for over two years now. I'm sure he by now thinks that I don't want a child with him or that I don't even like children anymore. But do you know why it is? Why I can give the man I love the most in the whole wide world what he really wants?"

"Liam, don't..."

"Because I already have a fucking child! A thirty-something child who should be leading our country but instead have chosen to not play nice with his friend. Fix it Niall, god knows you're the only one who can."

"What do you want me to do Liam?" he asks defeated.

"He wants to see you - you can do that I suppose,"

"Fuck you, I'm not doing that." Niall scoffs. He downs the rest of his glass before reaching out for the half empty bottle in front of him. But before he can pour himself another glass Liam's hand is on his arm.

"I'm nothing but the messenger Ni," Liam reminds him sternly.

"Sometimes I doubt that Liam,"

There's a beat of silence where the two of them just looks at the other, as if meaningful stares would make the other change their mind. But Niall and Liam are made from the same cloth, made with the same fierce determination that caught Liam's eye back when Niall was nothing but a pretty boy with good grades.

"You can tell him he better hope to god Nadine doesn't wanna come forward with her story." Niall says coldly as he wiggles his arm free of Liam's grip to fill up his glass. "You can leave now, I got a client to look into."

(+)

Niall knocks on her door a couple of days later, Willie hot on his heels.

"She doesn't want us here, she told us to go to hell." Willie hisses behind him as he tries to get the blond away from the door. "I called her that night you told me to, she said it was too late - let it go Niall."

But Niall doesn't listen to the other boy because the nice wooden door in front of them opens to reveal Nadine. And it's not how her eyes are puffed up from crying or the way that her face is completely clear of makeup that makes Niall pause in his steps. It's the shirt that she's wearing because Niall's seen that before, back when Harry wasn't President and didn't need to be pristinely dressed every hour of the day. Back when he was allowed to wear things as his old gray sweater from the navy - the one Taylor would refuse to wear because it's too baggy on her and would hide her figure - the one Niall had worn after the first time they slept together. The very sweater Nadine is clad in right now.

"Do you know what that little speech of yours did to me? _Do you?_ " Nadine sneers angrily, her eyes going cold as she crosses her arms over her chest, "You made me feel like shit, like I was nothing but the dirt beneath your shoes. You made it sound like I didn't have a voice, like I didn't matter to _anyone_! My entire family is here and you wanted me to just leave them because you told me to, screw you!

"But that's not why you're here, is it? That's not why you had your little minion over there call me in the middle of the night. You're here because you know I told you the truth." Nadine concludes with a sharp laugh. "And that, Niall Horan _,_ is fucking hilarious."

"You..." Niall starts but gets caught off by Nadine cocking her head to the side.

"Say it please, tell me I was right,"

Niall sighs bitterly, his fingers angrily pulling at the edge of his jacket. "You were telling the truth about the President, "

"Thank you, I appreciate that." She replies as her smile turns kindly. She takes a step back and goes to shut the door, "Now if you please, get the hell away from me."

But Niall intercepts before the door is closed in their faces, pushing it open until he can get a foot inside her apartment. "You want to be left alone? An independent blogger posted a couple of lines about you today, nothing big or interesting just a few sentences. But someone is going to follow up on this, and they're going to find out and then they'll be wanting answers. Do you know what to say then? When they won't be respecting your privacy when you tell them to go to hell? Otherwise those two lines on a blog will turn into a full-blown front page story and then thr television networks will pick it up, and print is going to feel like a walk in the part compared to TV. Your face will be all over the world and then you will never ever be alone again.

"I made you feel like shit, and I apologize for that because I'm not very proud of it. But I can help you if you let me," Niall tells her. His eyes are soft and begging for forgiveness. Because despite his action and the hard façade, Niall's not a tough guy - he can be if the job requires him to be it - but he strives to be the good guy, the one who always does what is right.

"Just, can you just please leave me alone?" Nadine sniffs. She pulls up the neckline of the shirt and pulls it up until her mouth, backing into her home until she can properly close the door again.

Niall steps away from the door and turns to Willie. "Take this and write down your number, slide it under the door and wait until she calls you." He hands over a blank piece of paper and a pen from the office. "When she does, talk to her, convince her to let us help her."

With trembling hands Willie grabs the card and scribbles down his name and number before bending down to slide it under the door, "How do you know she's going to call us?"

"Because this is what I do and I am very good at my job."

 

Willie shows up at his apartment with a bottle of red wine and a case of beer for himself.

"I've just left her," he tells Niall with an admiring smile as the blond opens the bottle skillfully and lets it breathe, "She said someone called  her parents asking if they wanted to comment on the rumors about how she got her job in the White House." 

"That's... good, I didn't think we were quite there yet. But it's good she's agreed to let us help her." Niall nods and pats the seat next to him, watching as the man toes off his dress shoes and curls up in the corner. "Are you still interested in working here, now that you've seen how we work?"

Willie had been offered the job when a former employee had chosen to start his own independent crisis management and communications firm. It had been difficult to find Zayn's replacement not only because of Zayn's elaborate skills in the business but because the man had chosen to hand in his resignation the day before his own firm was set to have its first business day.

Willie had been looking for a job after leaving a high end law firm because of personal differences and with a no compete clause stuck to his name, Willie had been forced to seek employment elsewhere from law.

"Yeah, it's a bit different than just defending people no matter what they've done I reckon." Willie says with a shrug. "I didn't really like that feeling of winning a case when you know you're on the wrong side, you know?"

"We do that sometimes too you know. If we're accept a client who want us to make something bad go away, then that's what we do. But we often don't take clients if I can feel they're in the wrong."

There's an awkward beat as Willie breathes in deeply and Niall reaches out for the wine to pour into his glass, "You can ask."

"...Then why did we do that to Nadine if you believe her now?"

There's always been this 'don't ask, don't tell' thing about Niall's relationship with the President, and Niall doesn't know how it started, he reckons it's probably Eoghan who started it and then the rest of the guys just fell into line at some point. But Willie's been there no more than a month and there's no way for him to have caught on to the way Niall acts when it's about Harry, how there's always a certain fondness when it's a call from the White House or how he would never decline an invitation from Taylor.

"I worked on the President's election campaign, Liam Payne - the chief of staff - and I go way back. So for some reason I thought I knew him, that I knew what kind of person he was, and I didn't think that he would be the kind of person to cheat when he's supposed to love someone else." Niall explains gently, downing a generous amount of wine before turning towards Willie, "But it's been years since I really knew him and I let myself be fooled by it. It won't happen again,"

"Aren't you afraid to go up against the President? If the rumors come out we'll have a scandal on our hands, and they're probably going to do what they can to make this go away as gently as they can."

Niall laughs softly. "People sometimes forget that the President is too just human. He's there, sitting in his oval office and guards protecting his life, because we put him there, because we saw him fit to control the nation. If we're the reason he's there, shouldn't we also be told if he's no longer the man we put in charge?" Niall muses quietly as Willie goes silent.

"Nadine Leopold is our client, and whether it's the President of the United States or her next door neighbor we'll deal with it."

 

They set up Nadine in Niall's apartment to make sure no one can get to her - reporters or people from the White House trying to make it go away. But Nadine's not there only client, so the world keeps turning.

"Do you take a lot of clients home with you?" she asks when Niall finally gets home before she's gone to sleep. She's curled up on the couch, duvets and blankets wrapped around her legs and dressed in that sweater that leaves a sour taste in Niall's mouth.

"Just the ones who needs to be kept out of the public eye," Niall replies softly and sits down in the chair next to the couch.

After moving Nadine to Niall's place Willie had found out a reporter had been snooping around Nadine's home looking for signs or clues for a better story. And now that he had found out how Niall was involved, he had approached the two of them claiming to have a story ready to go about Nadine's affair with the President. Knowing there was no way for Niall to just dismiss his suspicion without being too obvious, Niall had promised him a bit of background information and a quote if he kept her name out of the paper.

"What happens now?" Nadine questions and turns around in her seat to face Niall face on.

She looks younger like this, nowhere near the 26 she should be. She looks like a lost little girl with her big, blue eyes and the deep frown that's been on her forehead for their entire acquaintanceship.

"We have to talk about some things - nothing bad. But I need to know if you have anything that can prove your relationship to the President and what went on between the two of you. There is a chance that this escalates into your word against his, and then we'll be needing prove because others might not believe you the way I do." He explains to her softly. He reaches out and takes her hand to give it a reassuring squeeze, but she pulls away, curls even more in on herself until she doesn't take up more space than one of Niall's throw pillows.

"I have something yeah, but I'm not ready to tell you yet. You said this could be on my terms and I'm not ready to use it."

"Yes of course." Niall nods solemnly. He sits up straight, throws one leg over the over and leans back, "Which brings me to my second question, what is the end game of this? What do you want out of this? Do you want money, do you wanna stay in Washington, your job back? You have options if you just tell me what you want."

Nadine flinches at that. "End game? I-I don't know,  that - uh, I haven't thought about that."

"You should think about that then," Niall says hesitantly. He studies her face for any signs that she's afraid of what might happen, but that's not it he quickly concludes - something else then. "I'm going to go to bed, we can talk in the morning, sleep tight."

(+)

It's not hard finding out where the chief of staff and his husband are having lunch, not when you have friends in the right kind of places at least.

"We were in Canada and Harry did that thing with... Niall, what are you doing here?" Liam greets sourly as he steps up to the table where the two of them sits.

"Niall Horan everybody! It's a pleasure finally meeting you sir, Liam here's been talking about you loads! Absolute pleasure." Louis comments from across the table as he puts down his glass of white wine.

"Oh shut up Louis, it's not my fault you married the chief of staff." Niall says with a roll of his eyes and bends down to kiss the brunet's cheek. "But do you think you could give us a minute maybe?"

Louis scoffs repulsively which turns into a grunt somewhere along the way. "Are you kidding me? We had to schedule this lunch for fucking months I'm not even joking, you've probably seen my husband more than I have. There's no way I'm leaving this table."

Niall sits down in the chair between the pair of them and turns to the oldest of the three with a kind smile. "Louis."

"There's no fucking way, I'm eating shrimps here! Fucking big shrimps that I never have the time to eat,"

"Leave the table," Niall repeats.

"No,"

"Leave the table babe." Liam orders sternly. His brown eyes still haven't left the blond, but he can see out of his eyes that Louis gets up from his chair with a angry huff and takes his wine glass with him as he goes.

"You know they used to call us work married, right?" Niall chuckles as he plucks off one of the shrimps from Louis' plate, "I'm beginning to think they've might been right."

"What does my ex work husband want then? Your alimony paid in shrimps? Because I'm not sure Louis can get behind that." Liam jokes.

"Nadine wants a meeting with the President. The two of them in the same room, just fifteen minutes she doesn't need any more than that and then all of this will go away."

"... and then this will go away?" Liam repeats slowly.

"Yes that's the deal. One sit down and then all this will be out of the world."

"That's yeah, we can do that. I'll get him to agree to that," Liam nods quickly. He puts his hand out for Niall to shake, but the blond ignores it and pull him into a hug. "Say hi to Louis again before you leave yeah? It's been a while since he's seen you,"

 

Niall spots the brunet in the bar leaning over it to flirt shamelessly with one of the younger bartenders who's blushing furiously.

"Leave the poor man alone Lou, it's not like it can turn into something more." Niall laugh and drops down onto the bar stool beside him.

"You're still taking the Leopold case then?" Louis asks sourly.

"It's supposed to be gone in a bit, just a meeting and then we'll be back to normal."

"We made a President together - the other's helped sure, but you and I? We were the ones to make this happen, the reason those two fools are where they are now." Louis sighs happily. He puts his arm around the blond and pulls him into his side. "He misses you, they both do."

"I can't go back Lou, not now - especially not now." Niall protests quietly with a shake of his head, "This is good, we're better like this."

There's a lot of words that goes unsaid. But Louis always been a perceptive guy, always known a lot more than he lets on or even what Liam knows despite of the two of them always being there at the same time. It makes Niall wonder if Louis knows about what happened between Harry and him, when not even Liam caught on.

"His campaign for second term is coming up." Louis says casually before downing the glass of wine he had in his hand, "You think he can win on his own this time? It would be an absolute shame if all of our hard work goes to waste just because you didn't wanna be in the same room with him anymore."

"I'm not going to be his campaign manager, that's a closed chapter for me. He's going to make it on his own this time, he doesn't need us anymore." Niall answers with a soft smile. "You should get back to Liam, I got work to do anyway."

"Yeah okay, nice was nice to see you Niall. Take care alright?"

"'Course Louis, you too."

 

It's night when Niall returns to his apartment with Eoghan in tow.

"I can't talk right now. You have to stop calling." Nadine hisses into the phone where she stand in the kitchen. But when Niall and Eoghan enters the room she pulls the phone from her ear and presses the hang up button.

"Who are you talking to Nadine?" Niall asks confused and takes a step closer to the blonde.

"It's uh, that reporter - where did he come from? The Sun? - he keeps calling me asking for more information." She replies with a sigh.

"You can't talk to him, Nadine. It's very important that the only people you accept calls from are me, my employees and your parents. Anyone else are off limits," Niall says seriously as he leads the girl from the kitchen to the living room. "Do not answer it, not even to tell them to stop calling. Nadine you need to promise me you aren't go to accept anymore of his calls,"

"Okay fine! I won't take the phone when he calls," Nadine groans in despair. "I'm just, I'm going to have a bath okay? I need to relax for a while." She leaves the room leaving the two men behind.

"Are we ever going to talk about this?" Eoghan asks after a beat, his hands in his suit pants as he walks closer to Niall with sad eyes. "Why we're doing this?"

"I don't understand what you are talking about Eoghan. We're on the right side of this, trust me." Niall exhales deeply. He unlocks the door to the balcony and steps out with a pack of cigarettes in his hands.

"And whose side is that? Nadine's or the President's?" Eoghan scoffs, but follows the blond out onto the balcony without another word. "There's a bit of a conflict of interest here if you haven't noticed, Ni."

"That's not your problem is it buddy?" Niall asks rhetorically as he lights the cigarette and puts it between his lips.

"I thought you stopped,"

"It's menthol - I'm almost there." Niall reasons with a smirk as he pulls out the vibrating phone. "Niall Horan here,"

"Ni! It's Taylor, I didn't catch you at a bad time did I?"

Niall looks sideways to the questioning Irish man, but decides to ignore him. "Of course not Taylor. What can I do for you?"

"You know we have that dinner tonight, and I couldn't find your name on the list of who's coming, and then they tell me you never got your invitation, so I just wanted to make sure you knew you were invited,"

"I'm very grateful Taylor, but"

"8 o'clock, you know where. Wear the dark blue suit please, I'll see you then."

"Got a ball to go to?" Eoghan asks cheerfully, the ends of his mouth turning up in a smile. "Just go, I'll look after Nadine."

(+)

It feels like coming home when he takes his first steps into the White House, the familiar environment, the buzzing of voices in the hall talking about the latest news, all the things he loved about his old job.

He takes a deep breath as he steps onto the red carpet and lets his eyes find Harry's. He's looking sharp in his tux, the cut of the jacket making him looking even younger and more fit, and Niall feels a sharp tug as he watches him lean down to whisper something in Taylor's ear.

It doesn't take long for him to reach the Presidential couple, not when he's arriving this late. He steps into the circle of Taylor's thin arms, let her wrap them around his shoulders and whispers a few compliment about her hair, her dress - anything to get his mind off of Harry. 

"Well don't you look absolutely smashing tonight Niall," Taylor coos as she sends him over to Harry, "doesn't he honey?"

"Yes, Niall, you look very beautiful tonight." Harry agrees with a soft smile as he takes Niall's outstretched hand. And if it was anybody else, Niall would mock them for their selection of words. "I'm happy you could be here tonight,"

"I wouldn't miss it for the world," Niall returns before moving onto to the Vice President. "Ben, Meredith you look lovely tonight,"

 

Niall spins Taylor around for the last time before leading her over towards Harry, "Mister President, here you go." He stretches out the hand in which he's holding Taylor's but before Harry can take it, Louis intercepts and twirls her around.

"You don't mind, do you sir? It's been a while since I've had someone other than Liam to dance with." He says impishly. He winks at Niall before dragging the blonde off to the middle of the dance floor.

"I don't suppose you wanna dance," Niall says drily as he stares after the pair. He can feel Harry's eyes boring into the side of his head, but he doesn't give in. Because letting Harry look him in the eyes have always been the gateway to much worse things.

"It's not like I wouldn't if I could."

"But you can't because you're married to a woman and therefore you are straight, I get it." Niall reasons sarcastically.

"It's not like that." Harry sighs deeply, "There's never been a homosexual President, what am I supposed to do? Give up my job when you don't even want to be with me?"

"Why _would_ I be with you when you're married to someone else? When we can even be out together because you're afraid of what people might say."

"I love you Niall. You know that, if there's one thing you can't fucking question it's my love for you."

"You keep saying that, but I'm not so sure anymore." Niall scoffs irritated and turns around to find someone else to talk with.

"Is this about, you know who? Because I haven't had sex with her, I haven't even been alone in the same room with -" Harry looks around suspiciously, heads have begun to turn towards them. "Our spot, ten minutes. We need to talk this through Ni." 

"You can't just leaveHarry, it's your party someone is going to notice you're not around anymore." Niall replies with a roll of his eyes because Harry's always been like this, dramatic if he doesn't get his way - almost like a small child throwing a tantrum.

"Fucking watch me Niall," he hisses as he turns around and walks out of the ball room leaving Niall looking after his retreating back and the few gasps from the nearby guests.

Niall stays for a few minutes before following out of the same door Harry left through - because no matter how big Harry's tantrum is, Niall'll almost always be there to indulge him. 

 

But it's not Harry he meets when he steps into the Oval office.

"Mister Vice President, what are you doing here?" Niall asks with a frown as he watches Benjamin Winston turn out in the chair behind Niall's desk.

"You've always called me Ben Niall, why don't we stick to that?" Ben laughs kindly as he gets up. "I'm sure you didn't come here looking for me, did you?" Niall shakes his head numbly, not knowing how Ben found out about their secret meeting. "He got a call, something about a national disaster just waiting to happen, so he asked me to come here and tell you that he's done with you playing games. He doesn't wanna be a part of whatever you're doing, and that he's ready to fight fire with fire if it comes to that,"

"What - that's not.. I don't," Niall stutters clumsily as Ben's words finally register.

"Hush  now, these nice men are going to escort you out of the building, and if you please tell miss Leopold that her meeting with the President is off." Ben opens the door to reveal two bulky men wearing the uniform suits all of the security guard wears, but it's not someone Niall recognizes - none of the ones the President usually uses.  So he just follows them out numbly.

 

It doesn't take him long to come home though, not when you're fueled by anger and betrayal.

He burst through the door and wakes up the sleeping girl on the couch. "I need you to tell me what you know," Niall tells her. "I need to know so we can proceed,"

"I can't, I'm not.."

"I know you're afraid that he's forgotten about you, tossed you away and moved on without another thought. And if he doesn't remember it anymore then it's almost like it never really happened, that the relationship that the two of you shared wasn't real, and that leaves you feeling completely alone. But I'm right here and I would never forget, I know what happened - that the thing between you two was real. However you wanna do this, whatever you wanna do, I'll be standing right beside you ever step of the way. I can make him remember you, but I'm going to need to know everything," Niall begs her.

Nadine pulls herself to her knees and lets a hand run down her face. She sniffs the small droplets of snot back in her nose before she turns towards Niall once again. "I'm pregnant."

(+)

It's the knocks on the door that finally pulls him out of whatever trance he's been in ever since Nadine went to sleep. How he hasn't moved from his spot next to the front door for hours, but now scrambles to open the door and allow Eoghan entry.

"There's not many places who sells expensive wine in the middle of the night you know," Eoghan muses as he's being pulled into the kitchen. "but a friend of mine had something in his storage," he pulls out the bottle of red wine and places it on the kitchen island before taking place on one of the stools.

But Niall doesn't respond, instead he pulls out a glass and places it before the Irish man. He pour a generous amount of wine into it before placing the bottle at his mouth and letting the wine slide into his mouth.

"I think it was supposed to breath for a while," Eoghan frowns and twirls the stem of his glass. "I can't help you before you tell me what I need to fix,"

Niall removes the bottle from his mouth with a sour smirk. He goes to the counter on the other side of the room and grabs the handful of stick before putting them down next to Eoghan's glass one by one. "Nadine is pregnant."

"... with the President's baby?"

"Yes, that's. That sounds about right," Niall concedes before picking up the bottle once again and starts chugging.

"Are we sure it's his?" Eoghan asks cautiously but the unimpressed look Niall sends him makes him shut up, "Oh, I'm sorry Niall." He says then walking forwards onto he's crowded the blond up in a corner. "if there's anything I could do.."

"No, stop it. I don't need your hugs or your pity." Niall hisses irritated and walks out of the small ring Eoghan's arms had made.

"Do you need to step out of this? I can take the lead of this so you doesn't have to deal with it if you need to," Eoghan proposes seriously.

"Can we please not talk about this right now? Tell me about Laura, have you proposed to her yet?"

So they talk about Eoghan and Laura's relationship, about why he's afraid of commitment and even more afraid of her rejection despite Niall telling him that she loves him more than anything in the world. They talk about how Willie is becoming a part of the team, and how Eoghan misses Ireland and the accents, that Niall should take some vacation and go with him and Laura home during Christmas.

 They talk until Niall's bottle is empty and he's lying on the counter trying to stay awake, until he finally gives in and lets Eoghan help him into his bed. 

 

It's Sunday when Niall knocks on the door to the Tomlinson-Payne residence.

"No," Louis yells through the door. "You are not coming in Niall Horan, because it is Sunday and what happens on Sundays? I get to be with my husband on Sundays. Are we suddenly a part of some poly-marriage without me hearing about this? Then no, you are not coming into this house."

"I'll be quick Louis." Niall yells back. "Five minutes that's all I need."

"He does not work on Sundays. This was the rule when Harry got elected and is still the rule, no matter what. His job shouldn't stop him from being a good husband to me."

It's not the first time they've been through this. Back when Liam worked as Harry's campaign manager and Niall was in charge of public relationship, Niall would often come by whether new poll numbers were in, or if he caught wind of new information that could help their campaign. Not that Louis was around to control Liam back then, but Liam tried to keep his Sundays free.

"I swear to fucking god Niall Horan that after Harry's second term, Liam won't be allowed to see you for a year. I fucking mean it, no contact meaning no calling or texting, stopping by at odd hours to gossip about whatever it is you're always talking about - nothing!" Louis moves reluctantly out of the doorframe and disappears down the hallway into the kitchen.

Niall finds his way to the workout room with ease, navigating through empty rooms and expensive pieces of furniture until he find Liam lying on the floor doing sit ups.

"Looking good there," Niall hums as he sits down on the bench and throws the towel onto his stomach.

Liam looks away from the ceiling and meets Niall's glance, "I'm surprise Louis let you in on a Sunday." He laughs dryly as he wipes the sweat from his neck before sitting up, "He's taken away my phone and only gives it to me if it's Harry calling."

But Niall doesn't have time for the usual Liam/Louis banter. "Things are bad, Liam. Nadine is pregnant."

"What?" the chief of staff replies shocked. "Like with a baby pregnant?"

"What do you think, Liam. I need to know if they were safe, if there is a possibility that it isn't his."

Liam frowns at that. He looks at his hands, forcing them into fists before releasing them and then starts over. "He told me he didn't do it. That he never slept with her,"

"I didn't believe her either."  Niall admits sadly as he takes Liam's hands in his. "But why would she do this, why would the rumors have started if there's nothing there? It doesn't make sense Liam."

"What do you want me to do? Does she want money? 10 millions that's the max and over five years."

"Three and you might have a deal," Niall adds sternly and lets his hands fall down by his sides as he stands up. "It's in all of their interests that this doesn't get farther than what it already is."

"Harry doesn't need to know then," Liam concludes and Niall nods.

 

"You went to Liam Payne to ask for money? Money to shut me up? That's - that's not what I want. No absolutely not." Nadine says frantically when Niall sits down to tell her about his meeting. "Did he think he could just buy me off? When I'm pregnant with his child? Is he absolutely insane?" she paces back and forth on the small space between the couch and the television, angry steps echoing in the sparse room.

"If you don't want money, then you need to tell me what you do want." Niall tells her. He's still tired from the too little hours of sleep he got the night before, and his pounding head ache is about to return with full force if she keeps yelling like this. "Do you wanna keep the baby, let's start with that."

"Yes." She says without hesitation. "Of course I want to keep my child."

"That's great. Okay I can work with that,"

"And then I wanna tell the world what he did. How he told me he loved me, how he was going to take care of me, how I should trusthim. He needs to be punished for this."

"Nadine sweetheart. Are you sure this is what you want?"

"You're asking me what I want? I want them all to fucking burn for what he did to me,"

There's a beat that goes by in which Niall thinks about all the thing he's sacrificed for Harry to get where he is today. But why would Harry be more important than Nadine, why would his career and social standing be worth more than the girl he has knocked up?

"We'll make them burn. I'll set up the interview, it's going to happen Nadine - if that's what you want."

(+)

It's out of personal respect that Niall sends Liam the text telling him that Nadine didn't accept the offer, to give him time to prepare both Harry and Taylor for what is going to happen.

He leaves the apartment after that, let's Nadine be alone so she can figure out her final thoughts before she becomes a public figure that everybody want a piece of. He buries himself in cases, clients he doesn't know - who have done trivial things that don't hurt Niall - as if it can make him not remember.  

He hasn't slept much when Willie calls him.

It's the first day of preparations for Nadine's first big interview and Willie had been sent home to Niall's apartment to pick her up and feed her before coming into work.

"What did you just say?" Niall hisses into the phone drawing the attention of the other associates who sit around the table. "And before you speak, you should really make sure what you're telling me is true."

"She's gone." Willie speaks slowly into the phone, "All of her things are untouched, like completely untouched. Nothing is out of place, it just looks too clean - too perfect. But she isn't here, her phone is missing too. No signs of forced entry, nothing."

"Did you dust for prints?" Niall asks frantically as he sits down at the head of the table. Eoghan comes forwards and places a glass of water he quickly swallows. "Do you think she ran away?"

Willie is quiet for a beat more before slowly replying. "Your trash is gone and it's not even a trash day. There's a black sedan with US government plates parked out front, tinted windows."

"So you're saying she got taken?"

"Could be," Willie concedes, "You have a service elevator, they could have used that, picked the backdoor's lock and sedated her from behind. Quickly in, quickly out - no longer than six minutes if they're good."

Niall knew when he hired Willie - when he hired his entire team - that they all had secrets. Secrets of the kind that you don't talk about. But Willie's seem to be of a different caliber.   

"Okay, that's... that's fine Willie. Could you contact the US attorney's office and tell them we have a missing girl? Ask for Humes. We don't know how long she's been gone, so she'll be reluctant to help you. But tell her it's a favor for Niall Horan, I know her." Niall orders him with a stern voice.

"I can do that, yeah."

He types up a text for Liam, just a few quick words informing him that Nadine is gone.

But no matter how long he waits, the chief of staff doesn't reply.

 

A week later the news comes out.

There's a body that's been found in the river, covered in plastic and fished out by divers. And Niall knows who it is even before the news stations announce it.

"Nadine Leopold a former worker of the White House..."

"Daughter of Emily and Martin Leopold III has been found..."

"The body in the river has been identified as..."

He turns it off before the presenters get any farther, hide the remote something he won't want to look for it in a few hours and sits back in the corner of his couch.

He picks up the ringing phone with shaking hands and moves it to his ear. "Yeah?"

 _"I know what happened,"_ a frantic voice blurts out before the caller breathes in deeply. " _I know what happened to Nadine."_

 A beat goes by before Niall finally recognizes the voice, "Louis? What - how?"

There's a knock on the door forcing him to get up from the couch, phone stuck to his ear.

 _"Something didn't seem right,"_ Louis tells him eagerly, _"so I looked into it and found out that Nadine_ was _having an affair with someone in the White House, but it wasn't Harry."_

"What?" Niall screeches just as he opens the door to reveal the President dressed in a pair of sweats and a white tee-shirt. He cocks his head to the side but holds up a hand to silence the man. "Say that again Lou."

" _Nadine wasn't sleeping with Harry. It was a set-up."_ Louis says. There's noises in the background, papers ruffling and falling to the floor, Louis swearing at the assistants around him, " _We need to meet up, tomorrow maybe - all of us. There's something I need to tell you, and I think we might have a problem."_

Harry says something to the men stationed outside Niall's apartment before stepping through the door and closing it behind himself. "I need to go. We'll meet up tomorrow yeah? You get in touch with the others." And then he hangs up.

Harry's back is to him, tensed underneath the soft cotton and hands buried in his pockets.

"Did you know?" He asks slowly and turns around to face the blond.

"Did I know what Harry?"

"Did you know she was dead before it became public knowledge, Niall. Did you know that Nadine Leopold, the girl I supposedly slept with, was dead before this morning?" the President roars as he storms forward, forcing the smaller of the two up against the front door.

"I- yes. I knew that she most likely wouldn't get back yeah." Niall nods quietly. He doesn't try to break out of the small room Harry has cornered him in. He doesn't know if it's because of the shock that he doesn't move, or the knowledge that Harry would never hurt him physically.

"That girl is deadbecause of me, do you get that?" Harry asks very quietly, his head bent down to rest just next to Niall's ear. "A girl is dead because you wouldn't believe I didn't sleep with her and had to draw attention to her."

"That's not.."

"She's fucking dead Niall! What do you want me to do? When her parents will try to call my office and accuse me of having her killed because I didn't want to have our affair outed? Because that's what people think, Niall. Have you seen the papers? I know Liam's been trying to hide them for me, but it's out there and people are starting to speculate."

"I don't know! Okay Harry?! I don't know what you're supposed to do. My client's gone and now I have someone calling me that all she said was probably not true. So do excuse me for not being able to answer your question right now, it's a bit of a hard time being me at the moment too." Niall hisses out angry.

 

He pushes harshly at Harry's arms until they break away and let him through. He storms into the kitchen and pulls out the cork from last night's wine before pouring himself a glass.

"Don't you think that's a bit too early?" a soft voice ask from the door frame.

He doesn't look fuming anymore, all the tenseness in his shoulders are gone and replaced by the soft look Niall knows from before his presidency. He steps forward and puts a hand on Niall's arm to pull it away from his mouth.

"I didn't sleep with her." He repeats. "I wasn't even sure who she was before I saw the news this morning and Taylor said there had been some rumors."

Niall exhales deeply. He lets himself relax into Harry's body, lets his back melt into his chest as Harry wraps an arm around his waist and leans down to rest his chin on Niall's shoulder. "I don't know why I didn't believe you." He says softly and puts his hand over Harry's to intertwine their fingers. "I just. She told me you called her 'sweet love' and I just saw red. I haven't heard you calling anyone besides me that, so how would she know if it didn't come from you?"

"I haven't, you know, called anyone that since three years ago." Harry confessed quietly as he turns Niall around in his arms, "It's always been you, ever since you called us out that day during my campaign."

Niall chuckles as he leans forward to rest his head on Harry's sternum, "You tried to fire me, remember that? Tried to tell Liam I had to go or you would find someone else,"

Harry joins in on the laughs. He wraps his arms tighter around the blond and places a soft kiss on top on his head, "I just, I couldn't look at you without wanting to kiss you. And I wanted it so much back then, the presidency, that you were nothing but a distraction and I just wanted you gone before you ruined it all."

Niall chooses to look past his wording as he leans back to catch Harry's eyes. "I'm sorry I didn't believe you, I had my doubts about it so I set up that meeting between the two of you to see how she would react to you, but then you cancelled and it just reinforced my believes." He explains sadly.

"No, _no_." Harry says firmly as he takes a step back. "You were the who cancelled. You didn't come to the meeting so you told Ben to deliver your message."

" _You_ told Ben to tell me that you were done playing games." And that's when it dawns on Niall.

' _Nadine_ was _having an affair with someone in the White House, but it wasn't Harry'_ Louis had said.

"What? Niall tell me." Harry orders him softly. He takes the blond's hands and pulls him in until their chests are flushed against each other. "I've missed you," he whispers and leans in to scatter kisses all over his face, gracefully avoiding Niall's mouth.

Niall knows it wrong, knows he should stop the man and tell him that his government is probably corrupt, that his wife is back at the House wondering where he is, that this is how rumors start. But when Harry finally reaches the corner of his mouth, Niall cannot hold back any longer.

 

His hand are slightly shaking when he places it on Harry's jaw, cradling it in his hand as he guides Harry's lips onto his own. His eyes shut close and it feels like the air supply in the room has gone as his head is suddenly feeling much lighter.

Harry groans against his lips, almost whimpers as his hands finds the back of Niall's thighs and lifts him onto the kitchen island behind them. "Want this, want _you_ so much," he pants against his lips as he moves to pull off the sweater from Niall's torso.

Niall feels limp against Harry's chest, thanks heavens that he's been placed on the counter because right now, he's completely helpless and all he can do is lift his arms to help Harry get his shirt off. "It's been so fucking long Haz, I missed you _so_ much."

He keeps his eyes closed though, takes comfort in the darkness and lets Harry guide his slacks to the floor before wrapping himself around the blond again.

"Is this okay, are you okay?" Harry's gasping against his lips. His shifting between Niall's legs, rubbing the semi in his sweats against Niall's boxers. Niall feels like there should be some degree of awkwardness, something to strain his need to let Harry do whatever he want,  because it's been nearly three years since they last were together. Three years since they knew each other intimately, but there's a tug in his tummy telling him that this is where he's supposed to be. So he nods his head yes.

Niall's reaching his hand down, over Harry's torso and the soft cotton of the tee-shirt covering it before giving it a tug. Niall opens his eyes at the abrupt loss of body heat from Harry and blinks repeatedly until his gaze can focus once again.

Harry stripping his clothes, throwing it waywardly around the kitchen before taking Niall's hand to help him down the counter. "Lead the way please." he says.

They reach the bedroom with stumbling motions and hungry kisses, books thrown off the racks and somewhere along the way Niall's sure they've ruined his white carpet by tipping over the almost empty bottle of red wine in his living room.

He follows Harry to the mattress, crawls his way to the drawer in his bedside table and pulls out the half empty bottle of lube and a condom to throw into Harry's lap.

"You've been a busy boy, haven't you?" Niall's knows it's supposed to be a joke, because Harry's eyes are shining as he picks up the bottle to inspect it. But Niall doesn't want to hear it, not now - not ever  - not when he finally gets the chance to be with Harry once again.

"You don't get to comment on that," he says sourly and shoves Harry down as he goes to straddle his lap. "You're not the one who's been on his own because the one you're in love with already has a wife. You don't fucking get to comment on things like that."

"Of course love, that's - yeah. Sure." Harry nods quickly. He's placing small kisses on Niall's hips, nipping gently when he reaches the hipbone and following the V down where he starts to suck. "Anything for you,"

He's got a finger covered in slick pressed against Niall's hole, letting it slowly sink in as Niall pants against his own hand. It feels huge, it's been so long since he let someone come home with him but it's good, so fucking good when Harry finally adds another.

Harry's flipping them without notice, his back flat against the mattress as Harry speeds up the movements of his fingers. He's shaking when Harry finally touches that spot that makes him arch his back and spill out words too crude for the soft spoken atmosphere. Harry chuckles quietly and leans down to cover Niall's lips with his, "Are you good? Or do you need more, because I can"

"Yeah, yeah. I need you please." Niall begs, his hips trying to chase Harry's fingers when he pulls out. "Just, hurry okay babe?"

 

It's tight when Harry pushes in, so fucking tight as his eyes clenches shut. He's already making noises into the flesh of Harry's bicep, whimpers that doesn't quite sounds like whimpers and mindless mumblings he won't remember because Harry's right there, pressed against his chest and moving so slowly Niall thinks he's dying.

But then something gives way as Harry slips inside him completely, Niall's legs wrapped around his hips. They stay like that for a while, too warm breaths against cheeks and eyes searching each other frantically because this is what they were made to do. Flushed against each other with every inch of their body, matching smiles on their lips as Niall covers Harry's lips with his.

His rhythm is slow when Harry starts to move. But that's the way they've always been careful and soft touches, whispered words of reassurance and love.

There's sweat beading at Harry's hairline when he speeds up, arms shaking where he's holding himself up placed on either side of Niall's head. There's a buzzing in Niall's skin, a thumping in his heart as he feels something gets tighter at the bottom of his stomach until he falls apart completely.

Niall's back is arching when he comes, vision spotting with black as his hand goes to the long strands of Harry's hair. He feels like his breathing is cut off for a moment, the whole world slowing down until he's no longer clear on what his body is doing.

It's not until Harry's crying out and burying his head in the curve of his neck that Niall's pulled back into the world of the living, " _shit_ , I love you too. So fucking much love, no one else - just you," he gasp softly.

He keeps whimpering, trembling on top of Niall until he turns them over.  

Niall's head is spinning. The high he was previously on suddenly replaced by another, something much stronger as Harry's words goes on repeat inside his mind.

"I got you babe, _shhhh_. I'm right here," he promises as he squeezes one of his legs between Harry's before starting to rock them back and forth. It's sticky with both of them covering in a sheen layer of sweat and there's still come on Niall's stomach - now smeared across the small of Harry's back.

But neither of them moves, stuck in the warmth of each other.

Niall gets up at some point of the night, carefully stepping out of the bed when he feels how Harry's breath has evened out. He comes back with brushed teeth and gently pushes Harry onto his stomach before cleaning him with a damp cloth, dropping it to the floor when he's done.

"I don't know what's going to happen tomorrow, but I do know that I still love you very much." He whispers to the sleeping man. He leans down and kisses the small scatter of freckles on Harry's back before letting himself drift back to sleep.

(+)

His head is kind of fussy when he wakes up. There's something different about his bedroom, something about the smell or the feeling in the room that's not the same as it had been before. There's an extra phone next to his on the bedside table and a scolding heat resting like a band around his waist. It's not until he glances to the side and he sees the brunet lying beside him, that it finally sinks in what happened yesterday.

Harry's cheek is resting on the pillow, lines of the cotton embedded into the softness of his skin. His eyes are closed but his entire face are turned towards Niall, his mouth that's ever so slightly open, the soft snoring leaving his nose that Niall used to hate, but now can't remember how he lived without, and his chest that's completely flushed against Niall's back, his knees tucked into where Niall's owns are bent.

He leaves the bed quietly all slow motions and careful touches as he watches Harry curl in on himself from the sudden lack of heat. He pulls out a pair of clean boxer briefs - leaves another pair at the end of the bed - and pads as lightly as he can out of the bedroom, gracefully avoiding the creaking floor boards.

He fills the kettle and turns it on, pulls out two mugs, and then the small pot of instant coffee and a tea bag for Harry.

He slips back into the bedroom, mugs balanced in his hands as he nudges the door closed with his foot. Harry still sleeping, doesn't even stir until Niall gets back into the bed and places the mugs in a safe distance away from the phones.

"One of those for me?" a muffled voice asks as Harry turns from his front to face Niall on his side.

"It's tea," Niall replies with a smile. He hands the mug over to the now sitting man and lets him take a sip. "Didn't think you've learnt to drink proper coffee yet."

"I didn't realize you drank tea or even had it in your house." Harry hums. Niall drinks a bit of his own mug, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand before leaning down to press his lips against Harry's, tasting the breakfast tea on his lips.

"'thought it might be handy somewhere down the road," he hums and puts the mug down to the side, ignoring the way Harry's phone flares up with a new message.

"What have you done to your knee?" Harry asks with a frown, his fingers running over the rigid scar as Niall has his knee bent in half. "wasn't like this back then, was it?" he puts the mug down on his side's table and leans down to scatter the marred skin with soft kisses.

"I had an operation a year after.. It's fine now, itches a bit and I can't do any real work outs. But I'll live."

"Old men the two of us are," Harry murmurs as Niall guides his head away from his knee and towards his mouth in a soft kiss. It's sweet and Harry tastes of the sugar from his tea, and Niall doesn't know if he ever want to do anything else ever again.  But then there's the phone on the table, vibrating loudly and pulling them back to the world where they aren't in a established relationship and Harry isn't the leader of the free world.

 

"'m not even eligible for being President yet - you're the only one who's old here," Niall snorts. He reaches back for the phone and hands it to the other man. "Should probably see what they're saying, could be a crisis or something."  

Harry rolls his eyes softly and swipes open the phone. "It's Liam, there's a meeting about what we're going to do - about the thing from last night. I should probably go,"

There's hesitation in his voice, the way he doesn't quite want to leave the bed or put his clothes back on. Because outside this room there's nothing to legitimize their love for each other, nothing to make sure that they don't fall apart when Harry goes back to his wife.

"Yeah, that's uh. You can borrow the shower if you want, there's also some suits but I don't think we're the same size." He gets up from the bed and pulls out one of the dress shirts.

"Niall, would you stop doing this? I'm not leaving you, if I could I would stay here with you." Harry sighs heavily as he gets up to follow the blond. He throws the phone onto the bed, doesn't spare it another glance as he hurries in front of Niall to help him out with the buttons. "I'm not going anywhere, I'm _right here_."

"Just forget it, will you? I'm fine. I got an important meeting soon, that's all. You ought to leave anyway, Mark and Paul probably haven't slept yet,"

"Love come on." Harry whines as he steps out of Harry's arms to pull on the pair of suit pants without another glance at the President. "I can't leave when you're like this, just talk to me please.

"Do you want me to leave her? Quit my job so we can raise a couple of kids in a safe environment? Because all you need is to fucking ask and I would! But you won't because somehow - and I don't know why - my presidency and the way I'm portrayed to the press is apparently more important than not only yours but also my happiness. So don't you make it out to be my fault, you're the one who's not a hundred percent into this, don't put your flaws onto me."

His voice has dropped to dangerously low and he's no longer trying to help Niall with whatever domestic task he's doing. He's pushing his feet through his own pair of boxer, forcing the joggers on and slipping the tee-shirt on as he gathers up the phone in his pocket.

"Harry, that's, that's not true. Don't leave like this," Niall calls after him as he stalks out of the bedroom, slamming the door behind him. "Harry Edward Styles, stop right this minute!"

"Why? Why would I do that, when you wanted me to leave you like that before? You don't get to order me around Niall, that's not your job anymore so stop trying to be something you're not." Harry yells back before slamming the front door shut.

(+)

**3,5 years ago - during the Presidential campaign**

They're on a plane to yet another city, another target for gathering votes, and Niall's tired.

Tired of the bad polls and the way Liam keeps looking at him like he's the one who can fix it, tired of being pulled from side to side by young interns who doesn't know how to do their job properly, and tired of avoiding Harry's lingering gaze on his bum whenever he turns around.

"We have to do something. The polls aren't turning out right, the votes are decreasing - I've spent way too much money on this campaign for it to become a fluke." Nick Grimshaw hisses quietly as he slips into the seat in front of Niall's.

Nick had been one of the supporters who had agreed to donate money to Harry's campaign and after a very convincing argument, Nick had agreed to become the main sponsor of the campaign - as long as he was rewarded when Harry got sworn in.

"There's still a couple of months left Grimmy, that's plenty of time for us to turn this around." Niall insists.

He's sure Harry's gunna pull through. The numbers haven't been great lately and Ben Winston's campaign is doing well with the voters, but Harry's got real causes. Causes that are going to change people's lives when he gets elected, causes that are sure to win him the presidency.

"That's bullshit and you know it Niall," Nick breathes out heavily. He's leant back in his seat wearing a business suit that could probably fund Harry's previous governor campaign, and Niall can help but admire the aura around him emitting power and control. "We have to do something about it."

"And what do you wanna do about it Grims? It's not like you can buy yourself the votes," Louis snorts amused.

Niall's never quite gotten why Louis is following them around the campaign. He knows that there's something between him and Liam that they don't want anyone to know about, but he's a high profiled journalist with a specialty in politics and he's yet to publicize a single article about either Harry or any of his competitors.

"Why do you even care? I understand Nick with his money, and Niall's probably about his reputation, but what's in it for you?"

"Let's just call it a investment in the future. But please Nicholas, do elaborate on your plan to fix our little problem at hand."

"You've heard about the concept of rigging an election?" Nick ask with a grin as he leans farther in on the table to gather their small group of four. "I've this computer genius, yeah? He's telling me he can fix the election and it won't even cost me more than I'm donating here."

"Shut up, that's not even funny." Niall cusses out and pushes the oldest of the four back against his seat.

"Am I laughing?"

"For fucking hell, we're on a _campaign plane._ Turn down your voices if you're trying to scheme - that's like saying you have a bomb in the airport."

"We have a problem and I'm just offering a solution." Nick shrugs as he looks around the small cabin they're sat in to make sure no one else is listening in. "We all want him to win, some more than others I presume, but this is what we have to do." 

"It's a felony, is what that is."

"Then pitch in with your own solution, Niall _._ Aren't you the one who's supposed to fix everything?"

 

They try a lot of things in the following weeks.

Niall doesn't know how or who come up with it, but somewhere in the middle of a live national television program Taylor breaks down in Harry's lap and pretends to spill the beans about a supposed failed pregnancy that had caused them both to be a bit absentminded from the campaign, but she promises that everything is going back to normal.

Harry sneaks into Niall's room after that.

He pushes the blond down onto the bed, pulling of the pair of slacks he's wearing and leaving Niall in nothing but the campaign tee-shirt all employees had been asked to wear.

"Haz, we're all concerned about the numbers - she was just trying to help." Niall whines breathlessly as he scatters kiss from his sternum to the top of Niall's clinging boxers.

"I really don't wanna talk about campaign numbers right now," Harry hums cheeky as he pulls the soft cotton off Niall's legs before taking his cock into his mouth.

"Holy _shit_ , that's yeah. We can talk about that later." Niall pants as Harry starts to jerk him off at he same rhythm he's sucking. "You should - _oh_ yes, right there - consider asking your da - touch my balls please - your dad I think that could" Harry's licking the underside of his cock, sucking softly at the head until Niall stops speaking completely.

There's fingers twisting Harry's curls, pulling them tightly as he flicks his tongue at just the tip of the head. Niall jolts the man sharply, pushing him down until his nose is buried in the small hairs beneath Niall's navel as Harry lets Niall's cock slide farther into his mouth and to the back of his throat.

His hands in Harry's hair goes tight as he comes. There's a low whimpering and he knows it's coming from himself when Harry starts to pull away from his softening cock, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand to catch any last bit of cum he didn't swallow.

"Can I fuck you now that you've stopped talking campaign strategies with me?" Harry asks seriously as he starts to strip the suit he had been wearing, carefully folding it to prevent wrinkles.

"Yeah, that's a good - on one condition though,"

 

 So they bring out Harry's father the senator, takes him to a debate on Harry's behalf and to the public lunches him and Taylor go to. They get Ben Winston to run alongside Harry as his Vice President by some miracle. And for a small period of time the polls goes up - like it did with the miscarriage. But nothing they do makes them come out on the right side of the polls.

It's in Nick's hotel room they have the next meeting.

"He's seven points behind, Niall, what do you want me to do? One call and my genius will take care of this for us, no more worrying about bad polls or what he's going to do wrong." Nick tells them softly after a particularly bad meet and greet.

"We cannot be having this conversation! I told you no, so why do you keep repeating yourself?" Niall hisses frustrated at the older man.

"Careful now boy, remember who you're talking to." Nick warns him. He pops open the bottle of scotch from the Hotel bar and adds a few ice cubes before going back to his place next to Louis. "Let's be practical here babe, we all want him to win so why is it so bad to make it happen?"

Niall pauses. "He can win on his own, don't worry he just needs a little more time."

 

"How can you even consider being a part of this Louis?" Niall asks when they walk out of Nick's room, voices low to make sure no one can hear them. "Is it because of Liam? Do you really want him to be chief of staff that much?"

"Liam and I go way back okay? He's made for this, it's what he's supposed to do. And if I can make that happen for him, then I'll do anything to get him there." Louis confesses softly as they stop outside of Niall's room. "And it isn't my idea, it's Nick and he often knows what's best and you really shouldn't be playing the innocent one here. I know some of the things you done to make things happen.

"Harry is clean, Harry walks on water, Harry wins the hearts of small towns and mothers, while Nick, and me, and _you_ don't. And that's okay, because that's our job to take care of Harry - or you know, Liam in my case - we do it because they can't, because _Harry_ can't do the things that are needed for him to win, so we do it for him. Because if he could, we wouldn't be here trying to get him as far as we can."

There's a beat of silence while Niall pulls out his key card. "Why aren't you together? Liam and you, it's obvious you love him so why not just tie the knot and let yourselves be together out the in public?"

"It's a bit of a big deal to have a gay chief of staff isn't it? He says he's okay with sneaking around and the likes, but he can't let it get serious if it hurts the campaign." Louis says with a careless shrug.

"He's a fool, Lou. You should tell him that." Niall says with a smile and pulls the older man into a hug.

When Louis continues to walk down the hallway, Niall lets himself into his room finding a certain governor lying spread out in the middle of his bed. "Did Christmas come early or is this just complimentary entertainment from the hotel?"

"Shut up and get over here dork." Harry laughs and spreads out his arms for Niall to lay down in, "Taylor said she had to meet up with a friend of hers, so I think we have plenty of time."

They lie in silence, basking in each other's warmth and company as Harry hums the notes to an old Eagles' song under his breath. Niall turns around so he's resting his chin on Harry's sternum, his eyes looking into Harry's as he stop singing. "What?"

"Why do you wanna be President?" He asks softly. His eyes are mapping out the small moles all over Harry's skin, knowing that after a few weeks he might never be as close to him as he is now. "I mean besides the obvious reason, why are you the best candidate?"

"Shouldn't you have asked me this before you agreed to be a part on my campaign?" Harry questions amused, but leans down to peck Niall's nose anyway. His fingers draw patterns on the soft fabric of the shirt Niall's wearing and it feels nice to just be able to shut his eyes and listen to Harry's voice for once.

"I'm not doing this for anyone but me, there's no one pushing me to become someone I'm not, meaning that everything I put into this election, this presidency, is a hundred percent me and I'll do anything I can to help as many people as I can. I want to win this election and hopefully I'm going to win it because I'm not doing it for the power or the perks, the pretty house or the exclusive parties I get to go to. I'm doing it because I truly believe with me as the President things can finally change, that I might be the person to unite the country and to help us evolve into something greater than what we are today."

"Do you think I would be a good President?" he asks softly when his words have sunk in, carding his fingers through Niall's hair as the blond stares admiring up at him.

"I think you're gunna be the greatest President we've ever had."

 

It's three days before the election and one night after his talk with Harry that Niall changes his decision.

"Alright then, call you guy." He says as he slides down in the only free seat in the cabin. "I'm in."

"You're in? Like all the way, rigging the election making sure Harry'll win?"

They're all staring at him, confused frowns on all of their faces as Niall nods slowly, his eyes sad. "I'm in."

They look around amongst themselves, Nick to Louis, Louis to Taylor and Taylor back to Nick before they all nod in perfect synchronization. Nick pulls out his phone and pressed in the number, he clear his throat softly as he keeps his eyes on Niall, "It's a go."

(+)

**present time**

"We should really stop meeting like this," Louis snorts happily as he closes the door to one of the numerous offices in the White House - one of the few that isn't monitored.

"Shut your mouth and sit down, some of us actually have work to do beside just sitting here listening to you." Nick tells him with an annoyed rolls of his eyes as the brunet slides into the chair to his right side.

"Yeah I know Niall's busy but it's kinda concerning his former client so I think he'll live."

Taylor is the last one to step through the door complete in her light peach outfit and kitten heels as he closes the door behind her. "You called Louis." She muses with a quirked brow and sits down next to Niall.

"I'm sure all of you have been informed about the death of the President's presumed lover, Nadine Leopold."

"Why are we talking about this? I don't have time to discuss my husband's extracurricular activities, especially not with a former journalist turned house wife." Taylor scoffs as she goes to push herself away from the table and get up.

"If you would let me finish," Louis snarls back. He raises himself from the chair and walks around the table until he's stood looming over Taylor's chair. "I would explain the relevance of the situation to our current company, that is if you first lady duties can wait - because God knows your work is so much more important than mine,"

"Despite just being Liam's husband - thank you Taylor for that - I'm still an award winning journalist who can't leave a good story alone especially when something doesn't seems right. Nadine has worked in the White House for three years now ever since Harry was elected president. Before that she was working on the Winston campaign as a personal assistant to the current Vice President,"

"And so what? That doesn't mean anything, men doesn't mind going a bit farther for something they really want." Nick adds confused, but Louis isn't done.

"Nadine was pregnant, the press doesn't know this yet but I'm sure it will be public knowledge soon." He adds slowly, "I pulled some strings at the coroner's office to see if the baby's blood type matched Harry and it doesn't. Ben however is a perfect match."

The a numb silence in the room as Louis walks back to his own seat. He pulls out a manila folder and lays out the content on the table in front of them.

Niall pulls the piece of paper with the letterhead from the coroner's office towards his and Taylor's side of the table, "It's true then," Niall hums softly as he hands the paper over to Taylor before taking the audio recorder lying still on the table. "What this?"

"That's uh, a recording of someone I found in Winston's office after I figured out it was him." Louis confesses, his eyes flicking toward Taylor. "It's a bit intimate, don't know if you would like to leave the room during Swiftie - no reason for you to hear it."

"I've heard my husband had sex before, I don't mind Louis." Taylor says with a roll of her eyes as she moves to get Louis to play the recording.

Niall isn't sure how she can be that insensitive about someone who she's married to, the way she just accepts that Harry's been with someone else besides her and that  she doesn't mind hearing about it. Niall feels like he would agree to go outside the room for the minutes it took if Louis had asked him instead, everything not to hear Harry be with someone else.

The first couple of minutes of the recording is nothing but heavy breathing and people stumbling around what sounds like a room, the springs of a mattress crinkling and the quiet thumps of clothing hitting the floor. It isn't until Harry starts talking that Niall realizes what's about to happen, "You're so wonderful, love." He pants quiet into what Niall remembers to be his ear as he himself moans back in the recording, "So fucking perfect and all for me, aren't you my sweet love?" Harry coos and that's when Niall comes. A soft groan slipping out of his mouth muffled by the way he bites down on Harry's shoulder as Harry finishes with his final thrusts. "God, you're great, _yes_. Fuck, I love you." And then it cuts off.

 

Niall is sure his entire face is bright red, burning through the flesh of his skin but no one but Louis is looking at him with a wondering look.

"So Ben recorded Harry being with someone else, what's the big deal? He's a part of Harry's team isn't he? So of course he doesn't what this to get out, call it insurance or whatever." Taylor huffs annoyed. She's looking mildly put off by what she just heard, like it wasn't what she thought it was going to be.

"I think Winston and Nadine had an ongoing love affair and somewhere along the way, Winston convinced her to say she had an affair with the President." Louis explains slowly.

"But why now? If he's known this for a while and had time to plan, why do it now?"

A beat goes by before Niall answers, "Harry's supposed to announce whether or not he'll be running for president again in a few weeks. If this was released now the polling wouldn't be good and he would most likely be forced to decline his second term. This would be a good opportunity for Winston to announce his campaign while saying he doesn't approve of the way Harry's been behaving."   

"But why would he do that? I mean Ben's in his forties but he's not exactly in a hurry to become to President." Taylor adds slowly, "It would only be natural for him to wait until Harry's had his two terms and then run with his endorsement. Why break the norm? Harry's been nothing but happy with his company so there's no way he wouldn't help him,"

There's a dry cough from Louis' side of the room as he goes to stand up. "I might have something to do with that." His cheeks are tinted with red and he doesn't look at anyone else as he fiddles with the end of his dress shirt, "It was after the fake miscarriage and after Daddy senator didn't work, Niall wouldn't agree to let Nick help and I just didn't know what to do, so I got in contact with Winston.

"At first he wouldn't hear me out because his numbers were doing that much better than ours, but then he called me up one night and told me that he would join Harry's campaign if Harry only served one term. I didn't know what to do, so I just agreed," Louis says frantically, "I didn't know how well Harry would do or what Winston was gunna do if I didn't come through - it was a win win situation at the time. But that didn't help did it, had to get help elsewhere too, "

"You did what?!"

 

They all turn around in their seats to face the door where Harry and Liam stand.

But it wasn't Harry who had yelled out.

"You did what three years ago?" Liam asks slowly. He stalks into the room, gently pushing Harry aside to reach Louis. He backs his husband into a corner, angrily looming over him as he cages him in with his arms. "Tell me Louis, tell me what you did."

"I- uh, I" the blue eyed man stammers out. It's not often that Louis isn't his sparkling, sardonic personality who always has a bit too many words to say. But when he's not it's because of Liam, when he knows he's done something wrong and is afraid that Liam's going to find out. "I made a deal with Winston to get Harry to win the election,"

"Why would you do that Louis? It wasn't even your campaign, you had no say in it - nothing! Why would you think you had even right to make deals on other's behalves?"

"Because you wanted it! You wanted him to win so bad that you pulled every string you could but nothing worked. So I had to do something didn't I? Couldn't just leave the man that I loved to himself, it didn't matter that it wasn't my campaign or _your_ campaign, because all you've ever wanted was for Harry to become president, so how was I gunna say no to that? Tell me Liam, because you've obviously perfected the art of telling someone you love no."

A silence takes over the room as Liam backs away from Louis like his words had burnt him. There's a presence to Niall's right side as Harry slots himself behind his chair, a hand resting gently on his shoulder.

"How did I win then?" he asks sadly, his hand squeezing Niall's shoulder as he locks eyes with the two remaining occupants of the table. "Louis said you had to get help elsewhere, I suppose that doesn't mean my bright political mind during debates."

"Harry darling," Taylor coos and goes to stand up to join him, but Harry shakes her head.

"Tell me please."

"We - uh, I knew a man who was able to rig the election in Defiance. You two were basically tied until Ohio and we couldn't risk it Harold, we just, we wanted you to win so much." Nick explains, his eyes sad as he looks up at Harry who's squeezing Niall's shoulder so hard that he's sure to get bruises in the morning.

"So what did you do?"

"I paid him some money and he agreed to keep quiet and make sure you would win in Defiance."

"Just you or..?" Harry asks hesitantly. He looks around the room, making sure to catch the eye of everyone until he finally stops on Niall who's firmly looking down into the table. "Niall? Did you agree to do this? Were you apart of this?"

"Of course he was, why else would he be he-"

"Shut up Taylor, I'm not talking to you right now am I?" Harry snarls harshly. He pulls Niall's chair out from the table and rolls it around until he's facing him. He bends down in his knees as he rest his hands on Niall's thighs. "Tell me please," he begs softly so quietly that Niall's sure none of the others heard it.

He's still wearing the same tee-shirt as he did when he left Niall's house, Niall realizes. It's makes him smiles as he reaches out to toy with the fabric between his fingers. "You've been _such_ a good president - the best we've had in years - because you've helped to make it a safer environment for minorities, fought for their rights and made harsher penalties for violence. You've lowered the tuition fees and divided the wealth more fairly.  I know you're gunna be so mad, but you needed to win. _I_ needed you to become our new president."

"And you didn't think I could do it on my own," Harry finishes for him. He covers the hand that's fingering the fabric and intertwines their fingers. "I thought you were different Ni, thought you were one of the good guys." He pulls their fingers away from his chest and stirs them into Niall's own lap before withdrawing his own.

 

"There's something that doesn't add up here," Nick says suddenly when Harry's stepping away from Niall's chair as he tries to avoid Taylor's judging eyes. "Nadine's dead, surely Ben didn't do it - that would ruin his entire plan - so who killed her?"

Harry looks confused at the mention of Ben's name but Nick's quick to come up with an explanation of their previous conversation. "Ben's tried to take over my presidency? That's, no. I've known Ben for so long, he wouldn't do that." Harry says with a shake of his head. He looks towards the other end of the table where Liam and Louis have sit down at opposite ends.

"Who would want Nadine killed?" Taylor asks ignoring her husband's musings. "It has to be someone from 'our' side. I didn't do it and I'm sure Niall didn't either - no point in representing her if he's going to kill her later is there."

"I didn't really care or know about this Nadine thing to be honest," Nick shrugs as he turns to look at Harry, who's still looking like his dog got run over.

"Harry didn't do it either." Niall adds softly. "Not that he would, but I know for sure he didn't."

"That just leaves two," Nick sings softly as the entire table turns towards the couple at the end. "Louis? Liam? Anyone of you who want to admit something?"

But there's no need for any of them to speak.

Because Louis is looking directly at Liam, his mouth open in shock as the other man tries to reach for his husband but Louis shies away from his touch. "Lou bear, come on." Liam whines. He scoots his chair closer to Louis' but Louis does nothing but get up from the chair and leave the room with Liam on his heels.

"So let me get this straight, the only reason I'm president is because my main sponsor bought me the election, my Vice President didn't really want to support me but did because my chief of staff's husband promised I wouldn't run for a second term, and last but not least my chief of staff hired someone to _kill_ an innocent girl because she was threatening my position.

"I'm not mad, I just. If we were going for the most loyal team you could at least have told me couldn't you?" Harry scoffs. He looks completely exasperated  as he grips the arms of his chair tightly.

There's nothing Niall wants more than to climb into his lap and scatter kisses all over Harry's face until he's forgiven, but it's not his time.

 

"Harry darling, we can talk about this - your second term will be much better. It'll be like a fresh start." Taylor promises softly as she hurries to his side.

"For fuck's sake Taylor," Harry mutters as he shoves her away gently, "There's not going to be a second term for you. For a long time I've been why we got married and I just realized that I really don't know anymore."

"What?" Taylor shouts, her voice cracks in the middle of the drawn out word, "Why are we talking about this now in front of other people? This is a complete surprise, you shouldn't spring it on me like this."

Harry sighs, heavily. He's closing his eyes, rubbing his lids with the thumb and forefinger. "Taylor we haven't shared a bed for two years, much less been in love for a long time. And I thought I was okay with that because I was helping people, but I'm not. I need someone who loves me, someone _I_ can love and someone who's gunna support me because of me, and not just the political power I bring with me."

"You could have just said that baby, I've been wanted to get closer to you for so long but I thought that was what you wanted." Taylor laughs happily. Her voice is so shaky that it makes Niall shudder from the second hand embarrassment of having Nick and himself there. He wants to leave, grab Nick by the collar of his shirt and drag him out of the door and slam it behind him. But Nick doesn't look like one who's going to leave soon, body leant back in the chair and an entertained smile on his lips.

"It's not you babe," Nick says leisurely as he glances at his watch with lazy motions, "did you not notice the other voice on that tape? Those groans were a bit masculine don't you think? There's probably a reason why Winston didn't leak that tape when the story about Nadine came out."

"SHUT UP!" Taylor yells. She whips around and lets out a jagged sigh, "My husband is not _gay_. Shut up, shut up, shut up! No one asked you, did they? Just because you enjoy fucking little boys in your free time doesn't mean my husband does, do you get that Mister Grimshaw? Don't project your problems onto others,"

"That's great, the fucking icing on the cake," Nick grins amused as he stands up, his gaze across the room to where Harry's seething in his seat. "Did you ever notice how your dear husband keeps looking at Niall with sorrow filled eyes while he simultaneously tries to ignore your presence? But that's none of my business, I'll be going now. "

Niall watches him go, listens to the sound of the door slamming behind.  The room's so quiet all of a sudden, going from filled with voices just moments ago to numbing silence.

"I think it's probably best you leave too Niall," Harry says neutrally. But when he looks at Niall there's no malice in his eyes, no resentment or any bitterness. There's sadness though, big eyes full of betrayal as he turns his back to him and focuses on Taylor.

So Niall leaves.

(+)

Taylor goes on Oprah to talk about the divorce.

She makes up a good story about how Harry didn't have proper time for her, didn't give her the love that she needed to blossom like a person and since they didn't have any children, the choice whether to stay with him or not wasn't all that hard, she says with a sad smile. And there's coos and understanding smiles from the audience, an invitation to come back whether she needs to, because divorces are hard they say.

She moves back to Pennsylvania, a source of support she says. But her brother's terms are over soon and they'll need a new governor, preferable someone from the state. She'll be good at that, Niall reckons, always too smart to the cheek kissing and the Sunday lunches with the other ladies, always too quick to speak her mind on political areas during social gatherings.

Niall sends her a bouquet of flowers, white tulips with a bright red ribbon. Doesn't know whether it's supposed to be an apology or a congratulations. A mixture of both, he thinks as he keeps the card blank.

Louis steps in when the press secretary falls pregnant. He's all sharp edges and short answers as he handles the other journalists with ease. He rings up Niall the night he announces the divorce in the press lounge.

"He hasn't talk to us since that night, not really at least." He tells him. "Can't even look at Liam without getting that hurt look in his eyes,"

"Understandable isn't it? I would be a bit reluctant if I knew one of my friends had had someone killed," Niall replies as he settles down in his couch.

"I suppose so," Louis hums. "The worst thing is we don't even know whether he's running for his second term. I really want to give them a straight answer but it's a bit hard when I don't even know myself,"

  
He's just coming through his front door when his phone pings with a message from Louis.

' _Turn on your television, any channel. Harry's on live.'_

He's in the press lounge when Niall finally wrangles the remote out from between the cushions. He's looking quite dapper in his black suit and green tie, hair pushed back to show off his face and a smile upon his lips.

"I'm sure all of you've heard about my divorce by now, and I understand if that scares any of you off. But I feel like I haven't been completely honest to you. I've for a long time known that I was gay, but instead of being who I really am, I married a sweet girl who I thought I could love. And Taylor's been nothing but great to me, but I refuse to keep being someone I'm not.

"Some day I'm going to marry a guy and maybe one day we'll be lucky enough to adopt a couple of kids. But that doesn't change the fact that I still want what's best for this country. I'm still fighting for what I believe in, so if _you_ still believe in me, then vote for me in this upcoming election. Thank you," and with that finishing comment he leaves the podium, ignoring the screaming journalists as Louis hurries on stage to take his place.

There's a text when on his phone when he finally gets up from the couch to pick it up from where he left it at the front door.

' _was there anything else you wanted me to do before we could be together??'_

**Author's Note:**

> I hope you liked it x
> 
> Two alternative endings should be up within long unless I failed my exam, so let's all cross our fingers.


End file.
